The present invention relates generally to copper vapor lasers and more particularly to a modularized packaging arrangement for these types of lasers and their associated operating equipment.
The typical copper vapor laser (CVL) of the type to which the present invention pertains requires certain necessary operating equipment, apart from the laser itself, including specifically a switch and power supply (one unit), a pulsed power unit (a second unit), and a computer (a third unit). In addition, this particular laser, like all copper vapor lasers, require a primary supply of electrical power, water and neon. It is to be understood that both this laser and its associated operating equipment are well-known in the art and do not form part of the present invention, except in combination with the packaging technique to be described hereinafter. As a result, neither the laser itself nor its associated operating equipment including its switch and power supply, its pulsed power unit and its computer will be described herein.
Heretofore, copper vapor lasers of the type recited immediately above have been sufficiently small (in power requirements) so as to allow their associated operating equipment to be positioned at remote locations. More recently, these copper vapor lasers have been developed with increasing power requirements. As a result, it has become important to physically place the associated operating equipment closer and closer to the laser itself. This is primarily due to inductance associated with the connecting lines, although utility plumbing and cabling also play an important role in this requirement. At the same time, in order to accomplish this in a convenient manner, it has been necessary to design the operating equipment so that it is smaller and lighter than heretofore provided. This includes smaller and lighter weight switch and power supply units, pulsed power units and computers. These smaller and lighter weight components, like the laser itself and the larger and heavier operating equipment, are readily providable in the art and do not form part of the present invention, other than in combination with the overall packaging arrangement to be described hereinafter.